Joe Mixon, Bengals have had productive talks about contract extension

The Bengals have had productive talks with Joe Mixon about a potential contract extension

Joe Mixon is entering the fourth and final year of his rookie contract. The Bengals hope to sign him to an extension this offseason. 

The team has had "productive talks" with Mixon about a new contract according to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler.

Signing the 23-year-old to a long-term deal is a priority for the Bengals. 

"He's the type of guy you want to lock up to a long-term deal and we'll see if we can find the commonality to get that done over time here," Bengals Director of Player Personnel Duke Tobin said earlier this month on 700 WLW in Cincinnati. "Joe's obviously a guy that's shown a lot of ability. He's in a year that he can be extended and he is a guy that we have visited with. We'll go through those discussions and see if there's a fit or a match for a long-term contract with him. [He's] Obviously a guy that we value quite a bit." 

The Bengals drafted Mixon with the 48th pick in the 2017 NFL Draft. He's topped the 1,000-yard rushing yard mark in each of the past two seasons. He was ninth in the NFL last season with 1,137 yards.

Cincinnati will have an estimated $16.5 million in cap space after they sign their rookie class. That gives them plenty of flexibility to pursue an extension with Mixon. 

Finding a common ground that works for both parties could be a challenge. The Bengals aren't going to pay Mixon $16 million per season like the Panthers did with Christian McCaffrey. 

The Bengals want to get a deal done. Only time will tell if they can accomplish their goal. 

Here's a breakdown of what a possible extension might look like for Mixon and the Bengals.